Needles & Sphinx - Photo Gallery
There were already many cars parked on the lane near Seathwaite Farm when I got there, I'm used to having the place to myself. Many of the other people are following the track towards Stockley Bridge and a few have crossed the footbridge over the young River Derwent and are climbing the path by the side of Sour Milk Gill. I also crossed over the river but turned left immediately through a gate in a stone wall to walk on the other side of the river to the crowds.
The ground is quite wet and there is debris from the felling of the few conifers that used to be here, this area now has a gate with a new notice announcing the Seathwaite Woodland Pasture. There is another wall to cross with a ladder stile although there is a hole constructed for sheep to pass through that is big enough for not very big people to get through. The ground here below the intake wall is very wet even on the driest of days but you can safely bypass the worst of it without too much trouble.
Suddenly you get to the reason for coming this way, the waterfall of Taylorgill Force is attractive and spectacular to look at and the rocky scramble by the side is delightful. At the top of the first rocky section is a most unexpected gate, the second part has an overhanging holly tree that will grab you by your rucksack. The last part is a "close to the edge" clamber up a rough path before you cross the scree at the bottom of Base Brown's most impressive gully. Once you go past the top of Taylorgill Force it becomes Styhead Gill and you join the crowds again on the way to Styhead Pass.
The weather was warm enough for me to wear tee shirt and shorts but at Styhead Pass as I set off up towards Great Gable I had to put on a wind proof shirt. After a short climb up the start of the Breast Route there is an indistinct path going off to the left over wet ground. The cairn that used to mark the start of the path seems to have fallen to pieces making it difficult to find if you don't know where it is. The wet ground soon changes to something more rugged, one of the characteristics of Great Gable is the curtain of steep scree that encircles it.
Now you are on the traverse around Great Gable, slanting upwards over scree the valley quickly becomes far below and you get detailed views of Piers, Greta and Skew Gills. The first break in the scree occurs at Kern Knotts, an impressive climbers crag where there a tricky sloping ledge to cross and some enormous boulders to clamber over. Then there is more scree where you are still climbing at an easy angle, until you reach the wide scree shoot of Great Hell Gate where the underlying surface, uncovered by erosion, is a bright pink colour.
Up on the skyline now is Tophet Bastion, as rugged a name as you could wish for, the start of the huge outcrops of rock, crags and pinnacles collectively known as Great Napes. After you climb out of Great Hell Gate things change again; the ground is steep, a mix of grass and boulders with a narrow path following the contours and clambering over rocks. I believe there is a way to climb up to Napes Needle and find a place called the Dress Circle so when I heard voices above me and saw climbers I decided to go and have a look.
The ground is very steep but not difficult to climb and apart from the steepness there isn't too much exposure and I'm happy climbing as long as I think I can get down if I need to. I saw the climbers above were roped up and it was no surprise when I came to a point where I could have climbed up the steep bare rock that I wouldn't have felt comfortable coming down. I decided it was time to turn back, the descent was all the more interesting for being able to see how far down it was to the path.
Once back on the path there was a bit more clambering over rocks until I reached another gully, I later realised this was Needle Gully and the steep loose scramble did indeed get me to the base of Napes Needle. After keeping to the right hand of the gully I got to an area of larger boulders and followed the other walker and his eleven year old daughter across rocks to the other side of the gully. I sat myself in the Dress Circle, a splendid viewpoint, to watch the climbers scaling the vertical crag on the other side of the gully.
Next is the most awkward part of the route, crossing an exposed sloping slab where the rock is good but it's a long way down. The narrow and steep rocky gully would have been better tackled if I had turned into to face the rock to descend but my long legs let me get away with going down forwards. At the bottom of that section a stony gully carries on downwards but the path goes upwards again over steep grass and boulders heading for the distinctive shape of Sphinx Rock.
It defies credibility that this rock is a natural formation, the resemblance to a human face is uncanny. There is a way to get to the Sphinx rock itself but I don't have the bravery to cross the exposed sloping slabs, it is awkward enough to find a route to pass close to it and then upwards. The way ahead is steep but interesting and enjoyable, there are one or two long steps required and a step across an exposed ledge but it isn't that difficult. Then there is a steep rocky section, try not to stand on the beautiful little saxifrage that seem to exist without soil.
The final step to the top of this section shouldn't be done too quickly or you would launch yourself into space, the ground falls away suddenly. You are now at a narrow ridge, this initial section is bouldery and exposed but not technically difficult. After the initial section there are two or three more climbs where you get the option of sneaking around the side but after getting this far why would anyone want to? Suddenly the climbing is over as you step onto a splendid green ridge, steep scree slopes fall away on either side and Westmoreland Crags rise imposingly ahead.
I suppose you could climb up the crags but I haven't tried it yet, I followed the path around to the left but head upwards as soon as I feel comfortable with the gradient. Soon you get to the Westmoreland Cairn just below the summit of Great Gable, it is my favourite place on my favourite hill after climbing it by my favourite route.
From the quiet, peaceful exhilaration of the Sphinx Ridge to the bustling, crowded summit and the extremely busy descent to Windy Gap, it's a nice scramble but I know a better route. Down at Windy Gap I carried on downwards, a slippery stony descent of Aaron Slack down to Styhead Tarn. All that exploring around Napes Needle was exhilarating and interesting but time consuming so I didn't have time to finish my planned route and it's too early to finish now.
I walked back up to Styhead Pass and turned left on the path to Sprinkling Tarn and turned left again for Seathwaite Fell. There is a path to start with and you could easily miss the cairn on top of a raised rock platform at eye level on your left. I'm not sure why the cairn is there but it's a reminder rather than a pointer to get onto the ridge. The alternative is to walk between the peaks but each of the four or five summits with cairns are interesting and different enough for all of them to deserve a visit.
The most impressive summit is the fourth or fifth cairn before there is a larger depression and you can see the most northerly summit in the distance. I didn't bother walking to the final summit but found a way off the ridge down to the left, there is a grassy way all the way down to Styhead Gill.
Today was a good day.
Andy Wallace 11th June 2005